I wish Paul is a bit more solid as a character, as I didn’t really grasp his personality beyond his trauma. The slow pace in the first half of the story, unfortunately, affected my enjoyment. There are a couple of surprising reveals that I didn’t see coming, and I appreciate the author’s sleight of hand in handling the story. Her path is on a collision course with Paul and it was interesting to watch both of them searching for the same answer. Here she is the lead detective in the murder of a teenage boy reminiscent of the Charlie Crabtree case. This relationship is tinged with longing and regret, and I thought the book hits every emotional beat without resorting to sentimentalism.ĭetective Amanda Beck first appeared in The Whisper Man as a supporting character. The book also shows Paul’s estranged relationship with his mother. While he believes the past should be forgotten, he starts thinking differently when he feels watched in his old house. I found the lucid dreaming scenes effectively creepy! The aftermath of a terrible murder and Charlie’s disappearance ended up affecting Paul until now.

Even though he disliked Charlie and full of skepticism, Paul couldn’t help but be pulled in. The eccentric Charlie introduces Paul and his best friend, James, to dream diaries and lucid dreaming. The flashbacks to Paul’s teenage years show in stark terms the highs of friendships and the lows of peer pressure. This is a coming-of-age drama and a murder procedural, and I thought both storylines blend seamlessly. It takes some time to set the pieces but I was fully invested by the end. How every good parent says it, and how often they’re wrong.ĭark and atmospheric, The Shadow Friend is a haunting tale about friendship, memories, and loss. It’s a promise you have to make, and one you must do your best to believe in, because what else is there? But when copycat murders similar to Charlie’s pop up, Paul has to face his past and find out what happened the night Charlie disappeared. Now, Paul has returned to his hometown to care for his sick mother. Then Charlie committed a heinous murder before disappearing. Twenty-five years ago, Paul Adams befriended the elusive and strange Charlie Crabtree.

The shadow man alex north